Rowing + Nutrition = Healthier Kids

Dr. Fritz Hagerman, exercise physiologist at Ohio University, recently conducted a rowing/nutrition study with second grade students at two schools in rural Ohio to gauge the effectiveness of a rowing and nutrition program in the school setting.

The students were divided into two groups: experimental and control. Twice a week for 16 weeks, the experimental group exercised on a Concept2 Model D Indoor Rower for 20–30 minutes as part of their regularly scheduled physical education classes. The students and their parents also attended four nutrition education sessions and completed a food frequency survey before and after the study.

The control group, although receiving the same one-hour, twice-weekly traditional physical education instruction, did not exercise on the indoor rower, were not given nutrition education and were required not to alter their current lifestyles.

A number of physical characteristics were measured for all subjects both before and after the training period.

The experimental group showed:

  • Similar age, weight and height changes to the control group.
  • Greater decreases in percent body fat and BMI (Body Mass Index) than the control group, though the decreases were small.
  • Greater increases in lean body mass (muscle).
  • Significantly better VO2 performance on a rowing test.
  • Greater reductions in cholesterol and improvements in blood lipid profiles.

Regular rowing, combined with nutrition education, brought about positive changes in the health and fitness of second graders!